


half awake

by stellafleur



Series: let's dream within a dream [1]
Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Cats, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/M, Gen, General, I have no excuse for this, I just want cat hisoka, Isekai, Lullabies, Mystery, Not Beta Read, and transporting people into other dimensions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:14:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25316644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellafleur/pseuds/stellafleur
Summary: izumi trying to make sense of the world around her, but most of all the viscount’s peculiarity.
Relationships: Mikage Hisoka/Tachibana Izumi
Series: let's dream within a dream [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1866307
Comments: 7
Kudos: 37
Collections: A3! Rare Pairs Week 2020





	half awake

**Author's Note:**

> my first and only entry for this week! the original draft was much longer, but i cut it down for plot reasons, and because i was lazy. i also wanna dedicate this to my friend who's desperate for more hisoka content. sorry not sorry for dragging you into a3 hell with me! loosely inspired by the cat returns and other stuffs. as a disclaimer, i do not own a3!, any of its characters, except for the silly ideas in my head. 
> 
> a3 rarepair week - day 7 - free day

The world, as Izumi knew it, had long disappeared. She tried not to grimace at the endless stretch of the corridor before her, the marble floors, the long red carpet that stretched to the other end, the busts and vases to her left, the golden chandeliers overhead, and the glass windows to her right that offered a view of the vast night sky. 

Izumi briefly wondered if she made another wrong turn again, almost considered redirecting her steps, when voices and footsteps caught her attention. Quickly, Izumi backtracked into the previous hall and pressed herself against the wall to listen.

"Are you sure Milord has disappeared again?"

"Yes, I-I am certain. I was preparing Milord's bath when I noticed the windows were open-"

"Could it be that _human_ ?" 

"Please mind your tone, Renee." One of them scolded. "Milord has disappeared, and we need find him lest we-"

Their voices died down, as the servants, in their black and white uniforms, made a left turn, across from where Izumi was hiding among the shadows, and ignorant of the narrowed-eyed look she gave them.

_ Of course.  _

The Young Master of the household has disappeared, again, in this ungodly hour of the night, and possibly sleeping  _ where he wasn't supposed to be _ .

It was none of her business, however, and lifting her skirts, Izumi resumed her walk, to what she hoped led to her quarters. Halfway through, however, she couldn't exactly stop her mind from wandering back to the Young Master, or the peculiarity of her situation.

She still vividly recalled that day, what apparently became her last day in Japan as she knew it. Izumi was sprinting home through the downpour after her afternoon classes. The roads were muddy, wet, and the sky painted a dim, grey picture when she spotted the bleeding and injured cat lying on the crosswalk. Not wanting to leave it behind, Izumi quickly leapt forward to wrap the unconscious animal in her arms, and paid no mind to the truck heading in their direction.

The next few moments still felt hazy in her mind, as if she reached forward enough, she wouldn't find anything, but a black picture in front of her. For a minute, she thought she left the earthly realm for a heavenly one, but when she opened her eyes, she was sprawled on the wet, paved ground, with the rain still pouring from the sky, and unable to move her body. 

Pain radiated everywhere, with a tight heavy feeling in her chest, and she knew she was crying, even as the rain washed it away. Izumi was conscious for another full second to realize there was another person lying beside her, wet, bleeding, and naked before completely passing out from the pain. 

When Izumi finally woke up, however, she was lying in an unfamiliar four-poster bed, surrounded by silky sheets, and strangers staring at her in suspicion and curiosity. 

That was how she found herself in a strange land called  _ Felis,  _ surrounded by people in old-fashioned dresses and suits, where they addressed each other formally, and held titles like some 17th century period drama, living in massive estates with marble flooring and endless hallways, which was becoming the bane of her existence. 

Part of Izumi was still convinced she was in a coma-induced hallucination, and accepted that this might be a form of purgatory, as one would accept the absurdity of one's dreams. Therefore, she tried not to give too much meaning in the servants' uniforms, their cold stares, the lack of WiFi, cellphones, and old fashioned bathroom and laundry facilities. There had to be an explanation for all of this, and Izumi was, in a way, determined to find out. 

_ If only this reality made her richer instead, and running a curry empire. _

Rounding another corner, she breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the familiar double doors that led to her bedroom. Upon closer inspection, however, Izumi noticed the small crack in-between, as if it wasn't fully closed, and she pushed it open aside. 

The space that greeted her was bigger than her apartment, much to her dismay, with more golden crown mouldings and tall windows that offered more view of the night sky. To Izumi's right was a seating area formed by two couches in front of a fireplace, and to her left sat a boudoir. Further inside was another four poster bed, similar to the one they dumped her in weeks ago, with wooden posters, silky curtains, but minus the lone figure, sleeping soundly among the pillow cushions.

_ Ah.  _ He was here.  _ Of course.  _

The Viscount was young in appearance, with light hair that covered almost all of the right side of his face, wearing his long, flowing night-clothes, with a penchant for sleeping in obscure places.

Watching him sleep reminded Izumi of all the past struggles she had been through the past week. He was the most curious thing about this place, if nothing else. The people around her referred to him as Viscount December, their reclusive and sickly young master, who had recently returned from a trip abroad, and was found bleeding and unconscious on the grounds right beside her.

In a way, Izumi supposed it didn't paint a pretty picture, with him fully naked and her fully clothed despite being in the same roughened condition, and she would've been imprisoned for her " _insult against his house_ " had it not been for his immediate intervention upon his waking, merely to order the servants to _leave her be in the meantime, but do not let her escape_ , as he promptly went back to sleep.

Ever since then, Izumi made it a mission to corner this man, thinking he might be able to explain her situation, and possibly let her go, but he was often missing, and never found where he was supposed to be.

Therefore, it was a surprise to find him here. 

She didn't want to alert the servants of his whereabouts however, and she locked the door behind her before this opportunity slipped away.

Slowly, Izumi approached the side of the bed and observed him. Viscount December was handsome, if nothing else, with a pretty face, and almost feminine features. There was a piece of hair across his mouth, and her hand twitched, itching to remove it. Before she could stop herself, Izumi reached forward to brush it away.

The only sign he indicated that he noticed her presence was a slight crease in the brow, before his one eye opened, and another hand shot forward to grip her wrist tightly. Seconds passed, Izumi held her breath, and held it in until recognition returned to his face, and he settled back into her cushions.

"You… " He breathed slowly. 

They stared at each other for another minute, before Izumi gulped. She could feel her heart pounding, and her mouth suddenly going dry. 

She cleared her throat. "The servants are looking for you..."

He only gave her a blank stare. Izumi tried pulling back at her wrist, but his grip was surprisingly firm despite his small build. 

_ Um.  _

“I won’t tell them you’re here,” Izumi hedged. “So, could you please-”

He suddenly interrupted her. "Lullaby."

She paused. "Eh?"

"Sing me a lullaby…," He blinked slowly. "Please… "

He clearly didn't recognize her, or perhaps he was also hallucinating due to his sleepy-addled brain, because the Viscount had a tendency to avoid her, whenever he can, as if he also sensed her untoward intentions. He would never ask something of this if he was fully alert and awake.

Once more, Izumi tried to free her wrist, but his grip was unrelenting. He probably didn’t trust her to summon the servants, even though she had no desire to do so anyway. 

"A - alright," Izumi acquiesced, tilting her head to the side. "But you have to promise me something, in return."

He stared wordlessly at her. 

"Promise me you won't leave. I need to talk to you about something Milord - I mean, Viscount."

He only gave her an imperceptible nod, and waited for her to continue. Uncomfortable with his stare, Izumi refocused her gaze to the side of his head, where a cowlick was sticking out. 

Then, she launched into the first chorus of a love song. In all honesty, she could've chosen something better, seeing as singing this to a complete stranger seemed rather awkward, but her mind was blank, and it was the first and only thing she remembered.

Izumi was by no means, a terrible singer, but even she felt strange doing this, and she had to glance down a few times to see if it was working. By the time she reached the second chorus, however, he was breathing deeply again, and his grasp slackened to the point Izumi could slowly ease herself away from him, rubbing her sore wrist.

She watched him a moment longer, realized he wasn't planning to wake anytime soon, and settled herself in the Venetian couches, some good distance from him. From her vantage point, Izumi couldn't see him anymore, however, surrounded by pillows on all sides. Perhaps it was the exhaustion of the day, or the halfhearted singing, because she drifted faster to sleep this time around, her last thought being the Viscount's sleeping face.

The following morning, Izumi woke up with a start. It was the cold air that had her promptly awakening, and noticing the lack of the Viscount's presence, she rushed forward to the open windows, which overlooked a rose garden below. It was empty as usual, except the lone figure of the Viscount staring at something in the distance. She wanted to call out to him, leaning forward to see what he was looking at, when his form disappeared right before her eyes, replaced by a white cat, which suddenly ran away.

The very same cat she saved that gloomy day.

Izumi blinked once, twice, and her mouth gaped open in disbelief.

**Author's Note:**

> to be continued in the next rare-pair event week, as i have decided hisoizu will be my mini-project for these events ⊂((・▽・))⊃ thanks for reading!!


End file.
